The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week- 

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- Who Is Protecting Taxpayers? House Committee Meets June 7 On Bills To Preempt Any Increase In Conventional Oil & Gas Well Bonding Amounts, Give Away Plugging Contracts With No Regard For Cost    [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee Meets June 8 On Bills To Change Erosion & Sedimentation Permitting For Oil & Gas Activities, Deep Mine Safety Requirements  [PaEN]

-- Senate Committee Meets June 7 On Bill To Prohibit Communities From Moving To Clean, Cheaper Energy Sources To Address Climate Change  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Hearing June 13 On MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Comitta Introduces Legislation To Establish PA Pollinator Habitat Program To Support Migrating Pollinators  [PaEN]

-- DailyLocal.com Guest Essay: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Mean Clean Air, Strong Economy For Pennsylvania - by Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester)

-- U.S. House Natural Resources Committee June 9 Hearing On Bipartisan STREAM Act To Allow Use Of Federal Funds For Abandoned Mine Treatment O&M Costs

-- MCall: Gasoline Price-Shocked Pennsylvanians Looking For Relief, Harrisburg Unlikely To Provide It Any Time Soon

-- PA Capital-Star: To Protect Wildlife, SW PA Lawmaker Wants To Take The Air Out Of Mass Balloon Releases

Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week--

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week [PaEN]

Bill Calendars

Senate (June 6):  Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R-Fayette) would impose conflicting and expensive requirements on small water and wastewater systems for no benefit to their customers and if they can’t comply they would come under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission [Read more here]; Senate Bill 718 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) limiting scope of DEP permit appeals [Read more here];   Senate Bill 1188 (Brooks-R-Crawford) requiring insurance coverage for Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses; Senate Resolution 229 (Dush-R-Jefferson, Yudichak-I-Luzerne, Flynn-D-Lackawanna) was introduced directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the economic, environmental and health impacts related to the development of a critical and rare earth mineral industry in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

NEW. House Republican The Week Ahead Floor Action Summary

House (June 7): House Bill 1161 (Mizgorski-R- Allegheny) authorizing the establishment of a local solar energy subscriber program [not preferred by clean energy advocates Read more here];  House Bill 2069 (Cutler-R- Lancaster) Amend Article III, Section 9, to exempt the disapproval of a regulation by the General Assembly from the presentment requirement for the governor’s approval or disapproval [Read more here]; House Bill 2070 (Cutler- R-Lancaster) Amend Article IV, to add a new section providing that any executive order or proclamation issued by the governor, which purports to have the force of law, may not be in effect for more than 21 days, unless extended by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly [Read more here]; House Bill 2404 (Owlett-R-Tioga): Would allow local government organizations to apply for a permit for continuing maintenance for a period of at least 10 years for the streams within their jurisdiction. This permit would grant an affirmative duty to the local government entity to properly maintain the streams and would not require the local government to get pre-approval for maintenance projects;House Bill 2405 (Pickett-R-Bradford): Would create a program that allows counties to opt in to address hazards within their streams by allowing for emergency maintenance permits in consultation with their county conservation district. This is modeled after a pilot project that has proven successful in Bradford County; House Bill 2406 (Fritz-R- Susquehanna): Would create a permit specific to smaller maintenance projects for the mitigation of flood-related hazards of less than 250 linear feet. This permit would be reviewed and issued by the local county conservation district; House Bill 2408 (Armanini-R-Clearfield): Would declare that no permit or authorization shall be required for maintenance activities conducted on a culvert; House Bill 2410 (Smith-R- Jefferson): Would state that no permit shall be required for stream maintenance activities conducted 50 feet or less upstream or downstream of a bridge or culvert;  House Bill 2411 (Hershey-R-Mifflin) requires DEP to issue an annual report on flooding and stream restoration; House Bill 1780 (Armanini-R-Clearfield) which would extend the sunset date for the underground storage tank cleanup and pollution prevention programs to December 31, 2027, from  June 30, 2022; House Resolution 74 (Daley-D-Montgomery) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of wildlife conservation corridors; Senate Bill 275 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) which limits the ability of communities to offer new and clean energy sources and energy efficiency programs by locking in the status quo, in particular natural gas   <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

June 6-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on electric vehicle charging stations.  Room 418 Main Capitol. 1:00 p.m.  Click Here for online availability.

June 7-- Joint Hearing Of House Environmental Resources & Energy and Health Committees on oil and gas byproducts powering modern medicine and our healthcare system.  Room 515 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

June 7-- House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 2644 (Causer-R-Cameron) take away the Environmental Quality Board’s authority to increase conventional oil and gas well bonding amounts to the current taxpayer cost of plugging and continue the exemption from any bonding for wells drilled before 1985 (which is most of them); House Bill 2528 (Struzzi-R-Indiana)-- would mandate DEP award oil and gas well plugging contracts to Pennsylvania contractors, with no regard for cost to taxpayers.  Room 205 of the Ryan Office Building.  Call of the Chair.  Click Here to watch online.  (Click Here for more on the agenda.)

June 13-- House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee hearing on management of water pollution caused by stormwater, House Bill 2153 (Boback-R-Luzerne) would allocate $300 million from federal American Rescue Plan funding for municipal stormwater management assistance,  House Bill 2331 (Gleim-R-Cumberland) establishes a limited program to provide water quality testing with the goal of exempting municipalities from MS4 stormwater management program.  Room 515 Irvis Office Building.  9:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

June 15-- House Consumer Affairs Committee hearing on House Bill 1789 (Sankey-R-Clearfield) further providing for price and other disclosures related to competitive electric and natural gas shopping. Room 205 Ryan Building. 10:00 a.m.   Click Here to watch online.

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

June 6-- Senate Appropriations Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne) providing for universal lead testing for children; Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R-Fayette) imposing additional requirements on publicly-owned water and wastewater systems to make it easier to be taken over by private companies [Read more here]. Senate Chamber.  Off The Floor.  Click Here to watch live online.

June 7-- Senate Local Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 1947 (O’Neal-R- Washington) prohibits counties, local governments and authorities from promoting clean, cheaper energy sources to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. Room 8E-A East Wing. 9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.  Click Here for more on the agenda.

June 8-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 692 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) would establish erosion and sedimentation permit requirements in law under the mistaken notion DEP’s existing permit is not based on existing statutory authority which it is-- the Oil and Gas Act, the Clean Streams Law and other provisions of law; Senate Bill 1255 (Pittman-R-Indiana) would change Pennsylvania’s Deep Mine Safety Program to replace the oil and filter on all diesel-powered equipment used in underground coal mining every 100 hours at the request of the mine operator; Senate Resolution 285 (Gordner-R-Columbia) would direct the Joint State Government Commission to conduct an assessment and analysis of public and private recycling infrastructure and operations across the state (sponsor summary); House Bill 2075 (Knowles-R-Schuylkill) would suspend DEP’s regulations setting heavy-duty diesel emissions standards based on California standards. A companion bill-- Senate Bill 1030 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) was passed by the Senate in April.  Room 461 Main Capitol. 9:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online.  Click Here for more on the agenda.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

PA Pollinator Habitat Program: Senate Bill 1250 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing the PA Pollinator Habitat Program in the departments of Agriculture, DCNR and PennDOT to create native grass and perennial wildflower-filled habitats along state highways to support the migration of pollinators.  Senate Bill 1249 (Comitta-D-Chester) establishing a special vehicle license plate to help fund the PA Pollinator Habitat Program.  (sponsor summary)

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate

June 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 19, 20, 21

October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

November 15

House

June 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16

[Posted: June 5, 2022]

6/6/2022